The Call of the Wild
by jamesbuffett
Summary: After months of inactivity, Beast Boy has regressed into total boredom. But when Raven offers him one of her books to get him out of her hair, it has an odd effect on him. He begins to change as a person and slowly feels something pulling him towards something else. While he doesn't know where this path leads, he nevertheless follows it. For no one can resist the call of the wild.


The Call of the Wild: Chapter One

Beast Boy was bored. Now that's not to say that this wasn't an unusual occurrence in the tower but for the first time in as many months as he could remember, he genuinely had a reason to be bored.

The city had hit a lull in crime and even the beat cops were taking a break. This had been a welcome reprieve for the first month. Cyborg got the chance to completely overhaul the T-Car giving it a 2% overall efficiency increase. A fact he was very pleased by.

Starfire had taken advantage of the time by attempting to learn to cook earth meals. As a result the kitchen became quarantined, several samples of her concoctions were sent to giddy scientists across the globe, and she had yet to make one edible culinary dish… Well with the exception of fish tacos. For some unknown reason she was able to produce the crispy treats perfectly the first time.

Robin spent much of his time catching up on business he had been putting off. Meeting with the mayor, forming Titans North, upgrading the training yard, upgrading security, and upgrading global connections to the Titan network. It was actually quite a shock for his team when they found him upgrading the inside of his eyelids on the roof in a foldout lawn chair.

It seemed as though Raven was the only one who remained unaffected by the change of pace. Every morning she would be in her usual spot on the couch, reading quietly, and sipping a steaming mug of tea that enveloped the area in an exotic aroma. Every now and then the book or the smell of tea would change but everything else remained very much the same. When the living room got too noisy she would retreat to her room only to invariably show up again around mealtimes.

As the others each seemed to find their niche in dealing with their days off, Beast Boy was totally succumbing to boredom. He had beaten the newly released Mega Monkeys Six and, much to Cyborg's chagrin, had gotten the global high score within five days of buying it. Since that day he had read every single comic book in his collection, surfed through the channels of their T.V. fourteen times, attempted to teach Starfire to make tofu tacos (which for another unknown reason spontaneously combusted), played cyborg in all of their favorite games, went window shopping for mopeds, attempted to learn to play disc golf at the urging of some local college students, nursed a welt on the side of his head after attempting to learn disc golf, re-read every single comic book in his collection, and practically begged Robin to spend another hour on the training field with him. He was halfway through cleaning his room when he realized what he was doing and walked out in disgust… Only to come back fifteen minutes later to finish the job.

Now Beast Boy was lying across the back of the sofa. His head hanging upside down as he watched Starfire try to cook "The Cheese of the Macaroni." Every so often a slight groan would escape his throat as he realized again and again just how pathetic he felt.

Raven, who was sitting directly to his right, furrowed her brow as he moaned once again. "Must you make that noise every three minutes?"

Beast Boy answered without looking up. "I can't help it Rae. I'm just sooooooo bored!"

"Mmm." She responded returning to her book.

"Perhaps you would care to assist me in the boiling of the small dehydrated shell shaped starch clusters?" Starfire asked as she began filling a large pot with water.

"No thanks Star. I'm still healing from the tofu explosion." He said with a dull blink.

The doors to the main room slid open as Cyborg and Robin walked through discussing the more advanced uplinks to the Titans network.

"Friend Cyborg! Do you wish to help in the cooking of the lunch?" Starfire asked as she excitedly floated in front of them. The pot she had placed in the sink was already overflowing with tap water.

A look of fear came over Cyborg's human eye. With trepidation and concern for her feelings he answered. "Uh I would Star but… uh… My culinary unit got fried in my last upgrade…"

"Oh goodness." She said as her hands covered her mouth in shock. "I trust you are unharmed."

He nodded with a cheesy grin plastered on his face and said. "Oh yeah Star I'm fine. Thanks for asking though." Cyborg walked around her and plopped down on the sofa between Raven and Beast Boy. "I'm fine now." He mumbled.

Starfire turned towards Robin and asked. "Boyfriend Robin. Would you like to assist me?"

Purely out of instinct Robin's left foot took a step back. But as he looked into his girlfriend's piercing green eyes and saw the hopefulness in them, he knew it was over before it started. He took her hand in his and with a small smile playing at his lips said. "Sure Starfire. I'll help."

The Tamaranean squealed with glee and half dragged, half carried her new assistant into the kitchen. Cyborg chuckled to himself at the sight and said. "That boy has it bad for her." He turned to look at Beast Boy expecting his friend to laugh along with him. Instead the changeling remained stoic, unresponsive, and very much upside down. Cyborg raised an eyebrow and asked. "Yo BB. What's up with you man?"

Without looking up from her book, Raven answered for him. "He's bored." As if to confirm what she just said Beast Boy let out another groan. Raven's shoulders tensed at the sound. "Correction. He's bored and annoying."

Cyborg smirked and said. "Well I know how to get him outta this funk." He picked up a pair of controllers and set one in Beast Boy's lap. "How about a little Gamestation beatdown grass stain?"

To his surprise Beast Boy didn't rise to his challenge. He simply moved the controller off of his lap and said. "Nah. You'll just beat me again."

Every set of eyes turned towards him. Even Raven who peered quizzically over her novel at the green teenager. Beast Boy being bored was something that happened with a fair amount of frequency and his fellow heroes had learned to take these moods in their stride. But turning down videogames? That was completely un-him.

"Dude… You ok?" Cyborg asked as he looked him over.

"Yeah Cy. I'm just bored." He sighed as though the last word deflated him.

"Perhaps it is one of his animalistic behaviors. Do any animals on earth use boredom as a defense mechanism?" Starfire asked hopefully.

"Not unless you count snails. But then he'd be slimy too." Raven quipped as she laid her book in her lap and stared at him.

"Uh guys. I'm just bored. There's nothing wrong with me." He told them.

"Maybe he's sick. Cyborg. Do a vitals scan." Robin said as he walked around the kitchen counter to watch.

"Nothing wrong. Just bored." Beast Boy repeated with a slightly raised voice.

Once again they ignored him as the scanner that had run over Beast Boy dinged indicating it was finished. Cyborg looked at the readout on his wrist and said. "His vitals are normal. Nothing unusual."

"Are you guys listening to me?" He asked crossly as he sat up and looked at them.

Robin walked over to look at the readout. "Well we should probably do a complete scan just to be on the safe side. Go down and prep the infirmary. Get the cranial scanner ready and…"

"HEY!" Beast Boy shouted as he stood up and faced them. Every eye in the room turned towards him once again. "I said I'm not sick. Alright!? I'm just bored! Bored out of my mind! I mean it's been two months since we had a mission. We're super heroes for crying out loud! We risk our lives on a regular day to day basis. You can't tell me being cooped up in here is entertaining to you!" He paused to catch his breath and saw that everyone was staring at him. Beast Boy looked away, took a second to compose himself, and then said. "I'm. Just. Bored… Ok?" He walked back over to the sofa and sat, allowing himself to sink deep into the cushioned fabric.

His teammates looked at each other concernedly. Robin spoke first and said. "Uh sorry Beast Boy. If I had known I wouldn't have cut our training session short."

The changeling sighed and said. "It's alright Robin."

"I could reset the obstacle course if you want." He offered.

"Nah. Then I'd be bored and sweaty."

"Perhaps you could go do the looking at mopeds." Starfire suggested.

"Already did it." He said with a dull wave of his hand.

"Why don't you clean your room? That should keep you occupied for a few years." Raven deadpanned.

Beast Boy smiled a little at her jab and said. "Well it would. But I already did it."

The titans stared at him in complete and utter shock. With the exception of Cyborg who ran down the hallway to his best friend's room and looked inside. "Dude! He's not joking! Rob man you gotta come down here and check this out! There's actually a room in here!"

Robin got up and ran after Cyborgs voice. He was closely followed by Starfire who's Mac n' Cheese was starting to boil over on the stove. Beast Boy gave another sigh as he stood and began to walk away.

"Beast Boy." Raven had got up as he left. His only reaction to her saying his name was to stuff his hands in his pockets. She walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Gar…"

He turned towards her as she said his human name but rather than respond to her just gave her a half smile. This was the way it was with them. At odds with each other when other people were near but behind it all there was an understanding between them. They really truly cared for one another. Even if they would never say anything of the sort out loud.

"Is that the only thing that's bothering you?" She asked.

"You're the empath. Should I have to tell you?"

"Garfield."

"Raven."

"I'm being serious."

"Yeah. 'Cause that's a change of pace for you."

Her eyes narrowed a bit. "Watch it."

He sighed and looked away. "Rae… I don't know." The changeling walked towards the giant windows overlooking the bay. He pressed a gloved hand against it and stared out at the blue waters. "Lately I've been feeling… Trapped."

Raven walked up next to him and gave him a confused look. That was an odd word choice. He could have said cooped up or stir crazy or any number of other synonyms. But Trapped? That seemed a bit of an exaggeration. "You know you don't have to stay inside right?.. If it's your skin you could ask Cyborg to make a holoring for you."

"It's not that Rae." He told her without looking up from the window. "It's more like…" He turned towards her as he began to explain it but then sighed through his nose, conjured up a smile, and said. "Ah never mind. It's not important."

She blinked slowly and said. "Beast Boy. Don't lie to me. This is something you need to get off your chest."

"I didn't lie." He replied, smile still fresh on his face. "I'm just choosing not to tell you."

Raven snorted and stared at him a second longer. Deep purple eyes attempted to bore into bright green defiant ones. Finally she sighed and said. "Fine. Don't tell me. But I'm not putting up with you groaning like you're about to die. Come on." She grabbed his wrist and began pulling him down the hallway towards her room.

Beast Boy looked at her bewildered. She almost never… No she NEVER let him into her room. Let alone actually pull him in there. Once they were well inside her sanctuary he got a good look at their surroundings. It was still very dark and adorned with a cornucopia of gothic paraphernalia. She led him to one of her large book shelves and released him. "Here. Pick one out."

The changeling gave her a confused look. A moment passed before he realized what she meant. "Wait. You're letting me borrow one of your books?" She nodded in affirmation. Beast Boy paused a moment more and said. "Me? As in Beast Boy. Garfield Mark Logan. Letting ME borrow one of YOUR books."

"Yes. Because I know I'll get it back. And in the condition it was in when I leant it to you. Because if I don't…" She moved in close to him and said in a deadly voice. "I know where you sleep at night."

He backed up out of instinct and gave her a nervous smile. "Uh right. Heh heh."

Raven backed up, straightened her cloak a bit, and repeated. "Pick one out."

Garfield kneeled down looking at a few book titles in contemplation before slowly rising up and looking through a few more. Most of these he had never heard of. A few he couldn't pronounce. Who the heck was Monte Cristo?... And why was he counting? He released a short, quick breath through his nose and asked. "Well how do I know if I'll like it?"

"You won't. That's why you read it." She responded with an annoyed stare.

Gar rubbed the back of his neck with a cheesy grin as he continued searching. But no matter how much he searched none of the book titles seemed as though they would be for him. As he read each one he thought. "The Cask of Amonti… Amon… Geez if I can't pronounce the title how would I get through the book. Let's see. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I don't know. That sounds kind of kinky. Hmm maybe this… King Solomon's Mines… Why would someone write a whole book about a King's hobby with explosives?"

After what must have been several minutes Beast Boy backed away from the books with an annoyed look. "Raven I don't think I'd like any of these."

"Oh for the love of…" The empath strode over to Gar's previous position and after barely two seconds selected a brown, slightly small book and shoved it into his hands. "Here!"

Garfield flipped the book over in his hands to the black imprinted lettering on the front cover. "The Call of the Wild?" He asked out loud.

"You'll like it. It's about a dog. Now go read and try to stop being so annoying." She said as she pushed him out of her room and into the empty hallway. The door slid shut effectively ending their conversation. Beast Boy blinked a few times at the closed door before looking at the book in his hands once again. "Hm. A dog huh?" He walked back towards his room, carrying the novel at his side.


End file.
